The Mancos Opera House may be closed for public performances for now, but its owners still plan to offer the venue as a vibrant performance and community center.
MANCOS, COLORADO, MAY SEEM LIKE A STRANGE LOCATION FOR AN OPERA HOUSE, BUT ITS RELATIVELY NEW OWNERS SAY IT STILL CAN PLAY A ROLE AS A CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS IN THE REGION. YOU'RE WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK, BROUGHT TO YOU BY KROEGERS ACE HARDWARE IN DURANGO AND KEESEE MOTORS IN CORTEZ. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE. A THEATRE SPACE WAS BUILT IN 1910 ABOVE WOOD’S DRUG STORE AND THE MANCOS MEAT & GROCERY COMPANY. ITS PURPOSE WAS TO HOST MOVIES, DANCES, PLAYS AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS. THE BUILDING WAS SOLD TO THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WAR IN 1953 AND CONTINUED TO PROVIDE A GATHERING PLACE FOR EVENTS IN MANCOS. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES HAVE KEPT IT BUSY OVER THE YEARS INCLUDING PERFORMANCES BY JP MORGAN AND DIANE KEATON – BOTH ONE-TIME RESIDENTS OF MANCOS – ALONG WITH LOCAL THEATRE GROUPS AND THE MANCOS VALLEY CHORUS. MUSICIANS MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHY AND BRUCE COCKBURN HAVE PERFORMED ON ITS STAGE, AND THE MANCOS CREATIVE DISTRICT HAS HOSTED MANY EVENTS. IN 2017, THE BUILDING WAS SOLD TO PHILIP AND LINDA WALTERS. THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH MANCOS DURING A VISIT AND MOVED TO BE NEAR FAMILY LIVING IN DURANGO. NEITHER HAD ANY EXPERIENCE RUNNING A THEATRE, BUT KNEW THEY WANTED GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
WELL, WE WERE LOOKING IN THE AREA. MY PARENTS LIVED IN DURANGO AT THAT TIME. THIS WAS BACK IN 1998 AND ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT, BUT THEY WERE GETTING ON IN YEARS, AND WE NEEDED TO MOVE CLOSER TO THEM OR MOVE THEM CLOSER TO US. AND AS I TOLD MY BOSS IN AUSTIN, AT THAT TIME, HE LOST THE TOSS, THAT WE'RE MOVING TO COLORADO. AND SO WE MOVED UP HERE AND AFTER FINDING SOME PROPERTY, MOVED UP HERE IN THE SPRING OF 1998, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS BUILDING AND, IT'S HISTORY.RENOVATIONS WERE QUITE EXTENSIVE AND THE WALTERS WANT TO MAINTAIN THE VENUE'S ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY. IT CONTINUES TO HOST EVENTS INCLUDING WEDDINGS, GRADUATIONS, CONCERTS AND DANCES AND HAS A WORKING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MANCOS CREATIVE DISTRICT.
WELL, ACTUALLY WE WANTED THIS, AGAIN, TO BECOME A CENTER FOR THE COMMUNITY. I MEAN, THERE WERE, IT HAS A LOT OF HISTORY IN THIS VENUE. THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT DID NOT EXIST WHEN THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT.
A FACILITY LIKE THIS THAT'S BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IS, IS REALLY A MAGICAL PLACE. AND I, MY GOAL IN MY BELIEF, I MEAN, I REMEMBER HOW BEING IN THEATERS AND AROUND STAGES CAPTURED MY IMAGINATION AS A KID. IN MANY WAYS I WANT YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE, THE MORE INTENSE REALITY OF PERFORMING ARTS FROM BOTH THE AUDIENCE AND THE STAGE. I WANT THEM TO SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE FOURTH WALL AND, AND UNDERSTAND THAT MAGICAL REALITY. A GRAND CELEBRATION WAS PLANNED FOR THE MANCOS OPERA HOUSE WITH A SUMMER RESIDENCY AND PERFORMANCE BY OPERA LA FAYETTE OUT OF WASHINGTON D.C. BUT WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, OPERA LA FAYETTE RESCHEDULED THEIR DATES AND HAVE BEEN REHEARSING IN THE OPERA HOUSE AND WORKING WITH SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THEIR PERFORMANCE OF THE BLACKSMITH: A COMIC OPERA, OPENS AT AN OUTDOOR RANCH IN MANCOS ON OCTOBER 9TH. THE WALTERS PLAN TO HOST MORE THEATRE PERFORMANCES, WEDDINGS, CONCERTS, FILM FESTIVALS AND SOON A MAJOR TV SERIES WILL BE USING THE SPACE FOR REHEARSALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BIG PLANS FOR MANCOS! FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MANCOS OPERA HOUSE, CONTACT PHILIP WALTERS AT 970-946-3086 OR CHECK THEM OUT ON FACEBOOK. THANKS FOR WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK. NOW YOU CAN LISTEN TO OUR NEWS STORIES ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST APP, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. I’M WENDY GRAPHAM SETTLE.
